The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed charges against three Chinese nationals for illegal detention and violating the Anti-Financial Accounts Scamming Act, following the rescue of another Chinese citizen allegedly held against his will.

The three suspects, whose names haven’t been released to the public, were arrested after admitting they were running a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO). However, they denied holding anyone captive or committing physical abuse.

According to the victim, he was forced by the group to work as part of a stock scam operation. NBI agents found him in a condominium unit in Pasay City, which they described as a small-scale POGO hub.

The raid was triggered by a complaint filed by a previous victim linked to the same suspects.

“We initially thought the unit was just their living space, but we later saw signs that they might be running other operations there,” the NBI said. “The rescued victim owed P300,000, and he was being forced to pay it back by scamming others before he could be released. That’s still considered illegal detention.”

Investigators are continuing to dig into the case, and more charges could follow depending on what they uncover.